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Each month Mayo Clinic brings you helpful tips to improve your health.
| | | Health Tips: Safe Home Cleaning | Hello ,
When cleaning your house, minimize health hazards that can be caused by chemicals.
For example:
Follow the label — For many products, this involves wearing gloves to avoid skin contact, and possibly using goggles, a dust mask or even an air-purifying respirator. Ventilate — Be sure plenty of fresh air is circulating through the area you're cleaning. Open windows and use a fan. Small oven or bathroom vents aren't likely to provide adequate ventilation. Don't mix — Certain chemicals are dangerous if combined. For example, mixing bleach and ammonia can create toxic fumes. Store properly — Keep products in their original containers and out of reach of children and pets. Keep the amount of chemicals in your home to a minimum by purchasing only usable amounts and by properly disposing of partially used containers that you're not likely to finish. Try alternatives — Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and soap and water are often as effective for cleaning as are commercially mixed products. Use a plumber's snake to clean a drain and the "self clean" function on your oven. Frequent toilet cleaning, using a squeegee to clean water droplets from a shower door, or wiping up fresh oven spills can prevent the need to use harsh chemicals to clean.
Yours in good health,
Daniel Roberts, M.D. Medical Editor, Mayo Clinic Health Letter | | |
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